Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was recently nominated to lead HHS during Donald Trump's second presidency, has cast doubt on Ozempic's potential health effects.
The FDA approved the injectable medicine to treat Type 2 diabetes in 2017, and it could be approved to treat kidney disease-related events by early 2025. Other potential indications may follow, with studies suggesting Ozempic could treat conditions such as sleep apnea, dementia and other conditions.
GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic have gained widespread attention, but their high cost and side effects have also led to significant debate among lawmakers and clinicians.
Fox News' Greg Gutfeld interviewed Mr. Kennedy about Ozempic in October. Here are notes on the 2-minute conversation, which the two shared on social media platforms, with context:
Greg Gutfeld: "So there's this new study suggesting that this miracle weight loss drug, Ozempic, can also decrease opioid and alcohol abuse substantially, as well as reduce sleep apnea and cognitive decline. Which sounds like great news, but I'm always suspect when a drug ends up getting more than one usage. It's like now, it's got seven usages. Is this going to help make America healthy again?"
- Ozempic (semaglutide) is not approved for weight loss but can be prescribed off-label. Wegovy (semaglutide), which is made by the same manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, is FDA-approved for chronic weight management.
- The referred study analyzed rates of opioid overdoses and alcohol intoxication in patients with opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder, respectively. Using EHR data for about 1.3 million U.S. patients, researchers found lower incidence rates among patients with GLP-1 prescriptions compared to those without such prescriptions.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: "No, this isn't. You know, I saw this headline yesterday, and I need to look at the methodology of that study, because I don't believe it. The EU is, right now, investigating Ozempic for suicidal ideation."
- The European Medicine Agency began reviewing Ozempic and other GLP-1s in July 2023 following reports of potential links to suicidal ideation. In April, the agency concluded that available evidence does not support a causal relationship, a position echoed in a National Institutes of Health study. The FDA has an ongoing investigation but made similar comments in an early review.
RFK Jr. (continued): "It may be that the drug, because it suppresses all the reward pathways, so it makes you want to do everything less. And that may be part of the answer for this. But the idea that a drug is going to cure drug addiction or alcoholism…"
- GLP-1, which stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, is a naturally produced hormone in the gut and brain. In the hindbrain, there are multiple receptors for the hormone, including ones involved in appetite control, mood regulation, reward and movement. This may explain why the drugs affect alcohol and drug addiction. However, researchers remain unclear why GLP-1 medications have such broad therapeutic potential, as the drugs can activate regions deep in the brain that they cannot penetrate.
RFK Jr. (continued): "We're spending $1,600 a month on this drug. There's a bill right now before Congress that will make it available to everybody who's overweight, which is 74% of the American population. That alone will cost $3 trillion a year. If we spend about one fifth of that giving good food, three meals a day, to every man, woman and child in our country, we could solve the obesity and diabetes epidemic overnight for a tiny fraction of the cost. So they're trying to sell this, there's a huge push to sell this to the American public."
- In the U.S., Ozempic's list price is $969 and Wegovy's is $1,349. Novo Nordisk has defended these prices, citing pharmacy benefit managers and the complexities of the U.S. pharmaceutical market as contributing factors.
- Mr. Kennedy might be referring to the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, which is a bill in committee that aims to expand Medicare coverage of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity.
- If half of Americans with obesity took weight loss drugs, it would cost the U.S. $411 billion annually, according to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The report also found that, if half of all Medicare and Medicaid enrollees with obesity took weight loss drugs, it would cost the government $166 billion every year. Sen. Bernie Sanders has said these drugs can bankrupt Medicare and the nation's healthcare system.
- According to CDC data from 2017-18, 73.6% of Americans aged 20 or older are either overweight or obese, highlighting the scope of the obesity epidemic.
- The prevalence of adult diabetes cases, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, has grown over the last two decades, according to the CDC. From 2021 to 2023, the age-adjusted prevalence of total diabetes increased 14.3%.
RFK Jr. (continued): "[Novo Nordisk is] now the biggest company in Europe, but they're not marketing it in Europe. They make this drug in Denmark, and in Denmark, they do not recommend it for diabetes or for obesity. They recommend dietary and behavioral changes. In our country, they're counting on selling it to Americans because we're so stupid and so addicted to drugs."
- Denmark-based Novo Nordisk is Europe's Nov. 1 largest company by market capitalization. The top spot was previously held by France-based luxury brand LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. As of Nov. 21, the drugmaker's market capitalization is $448 billion and LVMH's is $302 billion.
- The Danish Medicines Agency approves Ozempic to treat Type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy is approved as an adjunct to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management, mirroring the FDA's labels.